It's easy being a single parent.

[Ptah]

Poll question: It's easy being a single parent.

Give it your best shot.

[LeftyMom]

1. It's kinda like picking up trash on the beach

It's rewarding and someday I'll be able to look back on it and feel like I acomplished something, but it's hard work and sometimes not a lot of fun.

[Ptah]

2. . > . .

:hug:

There are gems (moments) that make the effort worthwhile.



:hug:

[Starlight]

17. More like picking up trash on the beach while you're at work in the city.

That is, there's no possible way you can do both at once without help.

[Ptah]

19. Even if you are picking up trash, there will still be that moment to

savor.

[unsavedtrash]

3. no kids but am the child of a single parent.

the person that said it was easy should be poked in the eye REPEATEDLY.

[Ptah]

5. And then ask them, are you looking at me?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. My dear Ptah.........

I am positive that it must be the hardest job in the world....

I cannot even imagine doing it by myself, sweetie....

:hug: :pals:

[Ptah]

7. Thanks, neighbor.

:hug:




:loveya:

[Redstone]

6. I know that you know that I know that you don't mean that.

Done did that myself, and even the two years I did it while still married weren't easy.

And I bet quite a few of you know about having been (or being) a single parent, though married at the time.

Redstone

[Ptah]

8. I was describing the time after she left us

Sometimes life in the big city sucks.


:hug:

[Redstone]

9. Hey, that middle pic is at the LBJ Space Center, Isn't it?

Or Huntsville Alabama. Some kind big rocket.

Redstone

[Ptah]

11. No, it's on Kitt Peak, near Tucson, Arizona.

It shows the actuators on the back side of the WIYN telescope.

You see hydraul;ic lines to and from actuators the adjust the glass lens
to better focus the image.

yadda yadda

It's the WIYN telescope.

Here's an image from that telescope:



Wisconsin Indiana Yale Noao

[Ann Arbor Dem]

10. I imagine it would be one of the hardest jobs in the world.

:hug:

[Ptah]

12. And no transfer available.

Ya go with what ya got.

:hi:

:jazz lives:

[saged52]

13. and make the very best of it -

being a single parent was pretty tough - but in the ways that count it was great. When my daughter got married a few years ago she asked me to be her matron-of-honor. Said I was her very best friend.

[Ptah]

14. You are the richest woman I know.

:hug:

[saged52]

15. rich with her love and friendship -

and I promise you I never take it for granted.
thank you for the hug - I cherish that.

[Ptah]

20. Sweet dreams.

:hi:

[Starlight]

16. Hard? No, it's damn near impossible!

[Ptah]

18. The weeping Wall, GNP

[reyd reid reed]

21. There's two sides to it...

When you're a single parent, your word is law. There's no 'other side', you're It.

When you're a single parent, you're It. That's the bad side.

Pick your poison.

[mykpart]

22. Sometimes you feel like a mosquito in a nudist colony.

You're overwhelmed with how much there is to do, and you don't really know where to start, but you know there will be rich rewards. I did it, and they're in their 30s now, and every time one of them does something I'm proud of, I want to shout to all the "family values" people that it is possible to raise good people without 2 parents. Not easy, but possible.

[radwriter0555]

23. The toughest part has been the finances... especially in the early years

when I wasn't making very good money, but we managed. I worked several jobs and did the best I could. I like the complete autonamy... not having to base my parenting decisions on any one's (read the dad) input. Therefore, my child has never been spanked or hit or slapped or called names or treated as any less of a human. I'm a tough parent, sure, I tell my daughter the truth, but she knows I'm not being mean, just realistic.

I demand respect and I demand her accountability and there is hell to pay when those things are set aside. BUT, I also respect her and she knows that I set the standards for that accountability.

She's 13 and doing well in school. I managed to get her into the best educational situations possible, and as she's coming into her teen years we test each bit of growing up a little at a time. So far she hasn't violated my trust and is a good kid with some really sweet friends.

I'm lucky for sure. She's pretty smart, and is developing her common sense. She has a GREAT sense of humor, we're definitely best friends and we have some real fun together. She's wide open to new experiences, loves traveling and new foods as much as I do and doesn't see herself as limited in any way. So far, there are no freaky little hang ups and no strange inexplicable behaviors... so... so far, so good.

I count my lucky stars every day with this girl, she's amazing.

[tjdee]

37. I agree with everything you said.

The finances are the worst part, but she is the best. She is by far a more terrific child than I deserve, and I spend most days hoping I raise her in a way that she remains that way.

Paying for everything by myself sucks, though. Sucks a lot.

[ScreamingMeemie]

24. While I have some very sweet memories of the time when it was just

me and WannaBeG... They are tempered with the memories of lying awake at night, wondering how I would pay the rent, get shoes, the electricity-and get a dinner in her.

The one thing that breaks my heart is memories of me (on the couch because I was whipped from working two jobs) and her watching T.V. Me snoozing and her begging me to make dinner because she was "hungee". :cry:

[Midlodemocrat]

25. You've more than made up for that, Mrs. G.

She is a wonderful kid.

[hotforteacher]

26. I wouldn't be able to do it without the very best of friends.

Parenting without a partner in-house can be crazy-making. Finances are very tricky. But my daughter? She's beyond cool...a little twisted, but I think she's going to be just fine. Fuck. She's five and uses the word "metamorphosis" correctly. :)

Makes dating fairly interesting to boot. People make a lot of assumptions about your choices after you push out a burrito into this world.

[JVS]

27. I'm sure that if one wants to be a negligent one it's not so tough

[Divameow77]

28. Hardest job I've ever had

but I think they're worth it :-)

[BarenakedLady]

29. I can't even imagine

It is the hardest job in the world even when you aren't doing it alone.

:hug:

[MissMillie]

30. It's not even easy being a coupled parent

Parenthood is, without a doubt, the toughest job you'll ever love (the Army got it wrong when they said they were).

I'm a single parent, but thanks to a terrific family and a network of supportive friends, I can honestly say I did not parent alone.

[youthere]

31. Even on the best days with TWO parents it's rough.

I applaud anyone who does it solo-by choice or by force.

[nini]

32. It's easier than trying to do it with an asshole in the way

I'd rather be a single parent (and was) than be in a parenting relationship with an asshole.

Was it easy? no. But it could have been worse if his father was there too.

[RetroLounge]

33. It's difficult enough with 2 parents

Can't even imagine, well, yes, I guess I can. I've watched several friends over the years do it solo, and I do not envy their situations, but respect the hell out of them. It's tough.

When MrsRetro and I split up earlier this year, we decided we didn't want to be single parents, or part time parents, so we rented a duplex and moved in, her upstairs, me downstairs. So even though we are separated, our kids still have both of us in the house. And they each have 2 bedrooms, and think it's quite an adventure.

RL

[tigereye]

34. good for you, I wish more people were able to do that, Retro

it's so much better for the kids.

[RetroLounge]

36. Yeah, but it is difficult on the 2 of us...

:shrug:

Oh, well, we're adjusting...

RL

[tigereye]

35. I don't know how people do it!

God bless all who do.